After the widespread outsourcing of the 1990s, a new entrepreneurial class emerged in the American marketplace. There are currently more than 25 million small businesses, most of which are run by a single owner/operator. A small business is defined as having fewer than 500 employees, but competing with big box retailers online can be difficult. If your small business has been in operation longer than five years, you are part of the small percentage of new businesses that is able to gain a long-term foothold in your industry.

Small business owners often find themselves competing against large retailers, especially online. Search engine algorithms are designed to help people find local businesses that offer the products or services they are searching for, but customers are much more likely t